The Valley Breeze Newspapers serving the Northern Rhode Island towns of Cumberland, Lincoln, Woonsocket, Smithfield, North Smithfield, Pawtucket, North Providence, Scituate, Foster, and Glocester
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©2015 BREEZE PUBLICATIONS INC. Serving North Smithfield, Blackstone and Woonsocket Breeze THE VALLEY ©2016 BREEZE PUBLICATIONS INC. FREE valleybreeze.com @ NOVEMBER 17-23, 2016 Like us on Follow us on NORTH SMITHFIELD – His mother is incredibly proud, and even a bit awed by his dedication, and she's had little luck trying to convince him to scale it back. North Smithfield High School senior Samuel Turco has made it his personal mission to more than double the num- ber of graves at Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery in Exeter that are acknowl- edged and remembered this Christmas by Wreaths Across America. Through the program, sponsored wreaths are placed on the grave mark- ers at state, national veterans cemeter- ies as well as local cemeteries each December from Maine to Arlington, Va. Turco, who has something of a pen- chant for volunteerism, worked with the organization last year to help place the wreaths, an emotional experience that involves saying the name of each individual aloud – a ritual that aims to ensure that those who served are not forgotten. "A person dies twice: once when they take their final breath, and later, the last time their name is spoken," the WAA website explains. "We are not here to 'decorate graves.' We're here to remember not their deaths, but their lives," said the organization's Executive Director Karen Worcester, in a statement But in 2016, the group only had 488 sponsored wreaths to place on the Rhode Island cemetery's 30,000 grave markers. "My goal this year was to double the amount they had last year, maybe even get to 1,000," Turco said. It's the latest endeavor for a young man who has often made charity a priority. Since 6th grade, Turco has worked with Toys for Tots, branching out in his Sophomore year to start col- lecting the gifts on his own. During his freshman year at the age of 14, he NSHS senior aims to honor veterans, respect the fallen By SANDY SEOANE Valley Breeze Staff Writer sandy@valleybreeze.com BREEZE PHOTO BY SANDY SEOANE SAMUEL TURCO holds one of the wreaths that will be placed on a grave marker at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery in Exeter. Town's 'Public Safety Complex' likely to see far less work than expected Officials must reduce scope of $5 million bond- financed facilities project NORTH SMITHFIELD – Nearly two years have passed since voters approved a $5.2 million bond for improvements to town facilities, and it has been three months since Kendall Dean was evacuated to begin the repairs, but work has yet to begin on any of the town buildings slated for renovation by the Public Buildings Improvement Commission. The slow start is the result, in part, of a realization that the cost of hoped- for construction would exceed the approved budget by roughly $1.6 mil- lion. According to PBIC Chairperson Roseanne Nadeau, a request for propos- als that went out in August brought in four bids. One, she said, was disqualified By SANDY SEOANE Valley Breeze Staff Writer sandy@valleybreeze.com See WORK, Page 18 See WREATHS, Page 18 Visit a local bazaar for some crafty holiday fun. LIVING 'TIS THE SEASON GIFT GIVING GO-TO Start your shopping season with our Gift Guide magazine. INSIDE NADEAU T.H. MALLOY Oil | Propane | Bioheat | Generator | Boiler Service The season to be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving from The Malloy Family 401.333.0665 Visit our new website: thmalloy.com